The Art of Direct Action – Social Sculpture and Beyond

This collective study examines the influence of Joseph
Beuys's concept of social sculpture in the evolution of artistic
practices from the 1970s to the present day.

One of the most significant shifts in contemporary art during
the past two decades concerns artists and collectives who have moved their
artistic focus from representation to direct social action. This publication
shows why this transition might change our understanding of artistic
production at large and make us reconsider the role of art in society. The
book gathers internationally recognized artists, scholars, and experts in
the field of socially engaged art to reflect upon historical developments in
this field and explore the role that German artist Joseph Beuys's concept of
social sculpture played in its evolution. The contributions provide
theoretical reflections, historical analysis, and frame critical debates
about exemplary socially engaged art projects since the 1970s in order to
examine the strategies, opportunities, and failures of this practice.